As your coach has no doubt told you heaps of times, the key to
developing your technique and ball skills (such as dribbling, passing
and feints) is practice. Football is generally considered one of the
most difficult sports to master, so the more you practise with the ball
the better.

So the book starts with some drills to help you get the basic
techniques right – to develop ‘touch and quick feet’ – after which
you’ll find exercises for specific skills such as volleying and even
goalkeeping. Once you’re on top of the techniques, you’ll enjoy
the game more and be a better team player. And, who knows, you
might find you’re a Socceroo or Matilda in the making.

As you’ll see in the drills that follow, simplicity is the key. In fact,
the simpler they are the better! You should aim for:

• short before long; and
• accurate before powerful.

Now get out there and have fun! You can do all these drills at home
in your backyard, or in the local park if you need a bit more space.